Frozen dreams
by Mally-chan
Summary: YAOI! Ryou and his Yami go bicker as they always do...but what happens when they're seperated...feelings of regret float. Who was tha mystery person admiring Ryou? What about Bakura?! COMPLETED!
1. A snowy morning

-Beep--Beep--Beep-  
  
Ryou yawned and felt around for the alarm clock. He eventually found it and hit the snooze.  
  
***15 minutes later*** -Beep--Beep--Beep-  
  
Ryou grumbled a bit and slapped around the nightstand for his alarm, once again hitting the snooze.  
  
***20 minutes later***  
  
Ryou shot up half awake. "I'm late!" He tumbled from his bed and looked at his clock. "Half past seven?! How could I sleep this late!" he yelped.  
  
"Pathetic whiner..." Bakura spouted at Ryou. Ryou waved a hand at Bakura whilst trying to shove his legs into his jeans. "Listen later, dress now." the poorly formed sentence told Bakura that Ryou was too concerned with getting dressed to listen to his rantings. He growled and grabbed Ryou's sweater before he could put it on.  
  
"Yami! I need that!" Ryou said tugging at a sleeve of it. "What makes you think you can take that tone with me?" Ryou stopped and stared at Bakura for a moment, like he had grown a second head, realizing how rude he'd been since moment one of being awake. "S-sorry Yami...B-but I really must be off to school...." Bakura scowled at Ryou and did the worst thing he could think of, short of beating the ugly out of his Hikari.  
  
A loud and very unwelcome rip filled the room. Ryou stared. "My sweater!" Bakura laughed maliciously. "Y-Yami its 15 degrees below zero out there! I cant....go out without my sweater!" Bakura shrugged. "You're the weak one who will catch a cold. I'll be fine. Take this as a lesson not to be rude to me, any further misconduct from you, you little wretch, and I'll rip more than your clothes." Bakura said motioning a knife slitting his throat, followed by the traditional slitting noise, before retreating to his spirit room chuckling. Ryou wrinkled his nose and went back to rushing to get clothes and shoes on, brushing his teeth and hair.  
  
Ryou looked out the window, snow was falling and it was at least four inches. The weather channel had predicted the snow would continue to fall all day and through the night, it was very cold to say the very least. He grabbed his books, he had yet to buy a coat, he hadn't planned on such a cold winter, and his other sweaters were dirty. Sure he planned to do his laundry after school, but that didn't help him now. All he had on was a green short-sleeved dress shirt and his jeans and shoes. The shirt was of course, untucked. He sighed and shoved the books into his bookbag, before grabbing the house keys.  
  
Yugi blinked as Ryou walked by, shivering and hugging himself. "Hey Ryou...why aren't you at least wearin a sweater?" He said removing his coat to give to Ryou, who obviously needed it more than he. Ryou shook his head "I-I'm quite alright Y-Yugi, j-just a bit cold." he said smiling a bit. Yugi shook his head. "I know you have an optional day of school Ryou, why dont you go home and stay inside?"  
  
Yugi had noted that Ryou's father had talked to the headmaster at their school and somehow arranged for Ryou to have an optional day in case of emergency. Ryou gave Yugi a slightly shocked look. "Thats only for utter emergency Yugi, I cant just waste it" Yugi gave Ryou his jacket again. "Then at LEAST take my coat Ryou." Ryou nodded slightly and put it on. "Thank you Yugi..."  
  
The school was a welcome warmth to Ryou, he handed Yugi back his coat. "Thanks again Yugi, I'll make it up sometime."  
  
AN: ok? gimme some feedback here, I need some. I feel like I'm being ignored! should it be Yaoi? should I make a mountian of ice splash into a coke bottle? ^_^ heh actually I know the plot, but the Yaoi is up for debate. Please leave your feedback / vote for it ok? ^_~ arigato! 


	2. You think you know it all

AN: ok, for all those dummiez like me *grin* // = thats mental communication FROM yamis and / = is mental communication from hikaris ahem ^_^ and now for a short speech on...*blinks and sniffs the air* FOOD!! *darts away*  
  
"Now, students we will be learning how certin materials look under a microscope, please pick up your slides and be careful, they are made of glass as you may, or may not know." the teacher said giving a few trouble students the ever-knowing stare.  
  
Ryou sighed. The teacher had a paticularly monotone voice today. Things weren't going as well as they could be, he had been late and recieved a detention. He'd always been on time to class...today, simply, was a bad day.  
  
Yugi patted his back, obviously he was able to tell Ryou was in a downtrodden mood. "Its ok Ryou, everyone gets a detention sooner or later...I'll stay with you ok?"  
  
Ryou shook his head. "Thats quite alright...you dont have to, I'll be fine" "Its not a big deal Ryou, I'll stay." Yugi said getting up to get their slides.  
  
"Yer losin' me Honda" Jono mumbled looking into the microscope. "I just dont see the interest here..." Honda shook his head and slapped the back of Jono's. "C'mon, just PRETEND its even remotely interesting! we cant possibly get a passing grade if we both dont do a LITTLE work." Jono sighed. "Even if I had a great imagination, no one's imagination is THAT great"  
  
While Jono and Honda struggled to do their assignment, Yugi and Ryou were also having a paticularly hard time paying attention to the utterly boring single celled organisms that, even with a microscope, were hard to see.  
  
"Why weren't you wearing your sweater today Ryou?" Ryou scribbled a few notes on a sheet of paper. "Oh...its nothing they were just all dirty. I'm doing laundry tonight when I get home." Yugi shook his head. "Maybe you should buy a coat." Ryou nodded. "Perhaps your right...I was caught off guard, I thought Japan would be warmer." Yugi gave one of his famous 'it happens to everyone, I know how you feel' grins. "I know what you mean, no one really expects some of the winters we get here."  
  
Ryou sneezed slightly before grabbing a tissue. "I think I might have caught a cold..." he glowered, sighing to himself, knowing that it was Yami's fault. //having fun you little weakling? Poor poor Ryou, sick with the cold.// Ryou sighed. Yugi could tell he was conversing with his Yami, he got the same partially glazed over look when he did.  
  
//Yugi, I dont think he came to school dressed like that because his sweaters were dirty.// the pharaoh spirit pointed out.  
  
/I know...but what can we do?/ Yugi shook his head a bit.  
  
//The only thing we can do...until Ryou decides that Bakura has pushed him too far.//  
  
Yugi blinked a few times. /How far is too far for Ryou?/  
  
The pharaoh shook his head. //I just dont know...//  
  
The detention was slow, the clock, even slower. The evil laughter from Bakura wasn't helping Ryou's mood. Finally after an hour, he was allowed to leave. Ryou didn't head straight home, he walked with Yugi to the shopping center to pick up a coat, before they went their seperate ways.  
  
Ryou walked with a bit more spring to his step now that he had a coat, it was an average looking tan coat, that was just the right length to keep him warm. As he trudged along, his next stop was the market, if it was even open.  
  
Thick snowflakes gathered in Ryou's hair, they didn't stand out like they did in other's hair, but they gave his silky white hair a silver gleam under the streetlights. He stopped under a paticularly bright one and pulled a small folded list of things to buy from his pocket. Since his dad had left on another trip to wherever, Ryou was once more left alone. He didn't even KNOW where his mother was. He sighed and leaned against the light post.  
  
His yami often called him weak and pathetic. Very often. But he wasn't, perhaps his yami couldn't see it...the strength of heart he had. Growing up with only small visits from his father, not even hardly remembering his mother, He may be weak physically...but his spirit was one that even his yami could never break.  
  
"But...at this rate....I might just give up..." He mumbled to no one inpaticular. "I just dont understand why he holds so much hate for me..." Ryou mumbled lightly shaking his head. 'I know he has a compassionate side...maybe just not for me...' He thought to himself, pushing away from the light post.  
  
As Ryou slowly walked away, he had neglected to notice the familiar figure standing in the shadows of the two buildings just feet from where he had been.  
  
"In a perfect world, everyone would get along and everything and go your way....wouldn't it Ryou? I promise I'll take you there soon." He mumbled stepping farther into the shadows and disappearing into the darkness.  
  
AN: ooooh suspence! who could that person be?! ^_^ ah ah sorry cant tell. ^_~ you'll love it I promise! 


	3. shopping done

AN: I apologize for the phrase "-"In a perfect world, everyone would get along and everything and go your way....wouldn't it Ryou? I promise I'll take you there soon." He mumbled stepping farther into the shadows and disappearing into the darkness.-" It should have been ""In a perfect world, everyone would get along and everything would go your way....wouldn't it Ryou? I promise I'll take you there soon." He mumbled stepping farther into the shadows and disappearing into the darkness." I'm only human, a human...with a computer with no spell or grammer check...grrr...but never worry never fear a new computer will SOON BE HERE!! *dance dance*  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Ryou hurried about his business in the market. He purchased a nice selection of vegetables, a few live lobsters that looked healthy, and some cuts of meat that he needed. In reality he was stocking up in preparation of the storm. He didn't want to be stuck in his house with no food AND his yami pelting him with insults and punishments.  
  
He wandered over to the spices. "Um...I think I'll buy some garlic, onion, peppers and oh! I almost forgot the salt I know how much Yami loves it." He mumbled.  
  
The pile of bags he was carrying, was steadily getting bigger. Ryou glanced at his list. "check....check....check..." He read down the list of foods. "Oh....I still need to get the tea and rice." He said heafting the bags higher and trodding to get the said items.  
  
It took a while, but finally Ryou was done. He carried his load slowly back to his house. Just as he was getting to the porch, he felt the load shift and a bag of rice fall. He stuck his foot out behind him and caught it, and awkwardly kicked it up to balance on his head. He sighed. "I suppose all those games of football helped..." (Psssht...^_^ in other countries, the game Americans know as soccer, is known as FOOTBALL! just incase you're a doofus like moi ^_~)  
  
He shifted his bags to one arm and reached for his keys. "Dont bother." The door clicked open. Inside stood Bakura. Ryou sighed. "Hello yami." Bakura nodded and held the door open for Ryou. Even Bakura wouldn't pull something while the door was open. He absolutely abhored the cold. "I see you bought a coat...and a few supplies." He smirked. "planning on being stuck inside?" He chuckled maliciously. Ryou walked into the kitchen. "Its just the wise thing to do in a situation like this..." He mumbled as he began putting the foods away in their appropriate places.  
  
"I even...well I even bought a couple of really nice lobsters...cause well..." Ryou tried to look for the right words...the words that said 'I read that the egyptians liked seafood' without insulting or pissing off his yami. Bakura rolled his eyes. "Whatever." Ryou put the lobsters into a bowl and filled it with the water they came with. "I also got more salt." He mumbled.  
  
Ryou tried SO hard sometimes...just to get his yami in a pleasant mood...it just never seemed to work. "I dont need to eat...you DO remember this right?" Ryou nodded. "But you....you can and I figured that if you wanted to, at least you could eat something good." Bakura glared at him. "Your idea of 'good' and mine differ quite a bit." he almost growled.  
  
Ryou nodded and sighed, pulling a teapot from the cabinet and putting in some tea leaves and a few cloves. "Would you like some tea?" he said once again downtrodden by his yami. "What do you think?" Bakura said annoyed with his hikari. "I didn't think you'd forget so quickly, useless hikari." Ryou shook his head. 'I know he goes out of his way to push my buttons...but I wont give him the satisfaction of seeing me miserable..' he thought to himself.  
  
"I know I probably shouldn't ask..." Ryou started, putting his tea on the table. "Then dont." Bakura mumbled drinking a bit of tea himself. "I'm curious Yami..." Bakura groaned. "Curiosity killed many cats Ryou, what makes you think you'll end up differently?" Ryou shook his head. "Are you saying you'd kill me over a simple question?" Bakura nodded. "Questions are never simple, especially from such a weakling."  
  
Ryou gave his yami a strong gaze. "I want to know why you treat me the way you do." Bakura stared for a moment. "You really wish to know?" Ryou calmed down a bit, glad he hadn't been rewarded with a pummeling. "Yes." Bakura smirked. "Because you... are an idiot." he said disappearing, most likely to his spirit room again. Ryou sighed. "An Idiot am I? Idiot indeed. Idiot for even TRYING to converse with you..." he said picking up the dishes and carrying them to the sink.  
  
Ryou finished his chores, laundry included and smiled after he had neatly folded his clothes and put them away. He had to do it all around the house...things would be easier if his yami was like Yugi's. Even though the pharaoh had a sometimes unbelieveable amount of confidence and could occasionally brag.  
  
Ryou was quite jealous when he thought about it sometimes. It was just HIS luck that he got landed with the snoty, foulmouthed at times, impolite, hot- headed, thieving, plotting, revengeful Bakura. Since his father hardly spent any time at all with him, he depended on the money in his bank account that his father replenished from where ever he was.  
  
Ryou did it all. Everything from balancing his funds, paying the bills, cooking the meals, washing the clothes, and keeping the house tidy. He was every bit the wonder-boy. He was a very bright person and he had the grades to prove it. But all things come at their price. He often found himself utterly exausted, and having Bakura around...simply doubled the burden he had.  
  
!-Ring----Ring----Ring----Ring-!  
  
Ryou snapped from his thoughts and answered the phone. "Hi Ryou!" Yugi's cheerful voice sounded from the other end of the connection. "Oh hello Yugi..." Ryou said after a moment. "How is everything going? That coat we picked holding up ok?" Ryou laughed. "Yes yes...its a great coat...but I have a feeling that you called for a different reason Yugi."  
  
Yugi laughed and put his arm behind his head. "Eh heh heh...yeah...I'm not so good at distracting conversation huh?" He said looking at his yami, who was chuckling and sitting next to him. "Not really Yugi, what did you REALLY call for? You've got me curious now." Ryou's voice sounded much more cheerful now. "Well, Grandpa gave me a few tickets to an all teen party, and well, Since most likely, Yami will sneak in anyway...I dont need the spare ticket."  
  
Yugi snickered as the pharaoh jabbed him with his elbow. "Sneak in...honestly Yugi...isn't that well...wrong?" Yugi smiled at Ryou's comment. "Nah...he's part of me isn't he? we're linked because of the millenium puzzle riiiight?" Ryou nodded and agreed, those statements WERE technically true. "Well see? One ticket is all we really need! Besides, you need to take a break. I know you have it rough sometimes...c'mon...this can be how you paid me back for loaning you my jacket this morning." Yugi said in his 'you KNOW you cant refuse ME' voice.  
  
Ryou chuckled a little. "Alright, you got me there...formal or not?" Yugi smiled brightly. "semi-formal." He said before bidding goodbye to Ryou.  
  
AN: okie dokie smokie, here is chappie 3....who the hell WAS that mystery person? its drivin me insane! well...*chuckle* not really. ok ok ok dont mob me, blame my plotline! 


	4. Deadly party plans?

-Beep--Beep--Beep-  
  
Ryou grumbled and slapped at the alarm clock  
  
****one minute later****-Beep--Beep--Beep-  
  
Ryou sat up and rubbed at his eyes. "What?" he said to no one inpaticular. "Its about time you woke up." Bakura said puttin the alarm clock down. Ryou blinked. "Were you doing that?" Bakura rolled his eyes. "No the clock was freaking out for no damned reason." Ryou sighed. "Did you wake me up just to complain to me?"  
  
Bakura shoved Ryou out of the bed. "Get UP!" Ryou fell to the floor with a loud THUMP. "OW! why'd you do that?" he said getting up and dusting himself off. "I dont need to explain myself to you." Bakura said shoving him out of the room. Ryou was very confused, but went ahead and dressed anyway.  
  
"Sometimes he confuses me..." he mumbled as he swept the floors. "I guess its good I got up early....I can finish a few chores before I leave for school..." Ryou leaned the broom against the wall and smiled at his once more tidy home. "I'll clean my room tonight after the party..." he said picking up his school things, putting his coat on and leaving with his keys.  
  
Seto, had been eying Ryou for some time... (ahem....DONT FREAK OUT AND STOP READIN!!! this WILL not be what you think! *begs* STAY!!) He was very much attracted to him. Not just because of Ryou's strong personality and sweet and tender feminine features but because he was about the same age as himself, and he had things so hard currently in his life. It reminded Seto of how his childhood had been.  
  
If anything it brought out the compassion in him...that did. He didn't show much compassion often...and Yugi seemed to spite him when they dueled. He didn't like the fact that Ryou was his friend...but he could live with that, if it meant even a few moments with the white haired angel.  
  
Ryou just seemed to radiate the feeling of innocence. Seto was almost reminded of his little brother mokuba...only he loved Ryou in a different way. He wanted to protect Ryou in the same way...but not...it didn't make much sense to Seto either...but somehow he knew what it meant.  
  
"Hi Ryou!" Yugi chirped. "Hello Yugi." Ryou said, in a much better mood than the previous day's mood. Seto considered pulling him from the class, as he walked by. He didn't have that class...he could pull Ryou from the class and maybe ask him to come to Kaiba corp. to spend some time with him... He shook his head and walked on. "I dont have time right now...class first." he said as he strolled off.  
  
School went by exceptionally slow, since Ryou had something to look forward to. He found that the idea of getting out of the house...even in the thick snow, that had lessened in intensity, would do him good. He split from Yugi and walked to his locker. He only needed to put away the books he had no homework in, and grab those he did.  
  
Seto caught sight of Ryou as he was walking down the hall and smiled. He knew oppertunity when he saw it. "Hey Ryou..." he said walking up behind him and smirking. Ryou, in his supprise shut the locker rather fast. "Oh! ...H-hi Seto nice meeting you here..." Ryou knew how much Seto hated Yugi...he wasn't sure if Seto held that same malice towards him or not, and he really didn't want to know if he did.  
  
"Ryou...theres a party tonight, I know you're going." He said smiling, his face softening a little. "Afterwards I'd like you to come to Kaiba corp. with me." Ryou smiled a little, realizing Seto wasn't intending harm. "Um....alight then..." he said slightly befuddled at such a simple request. Seto ran a hand through Ryou's hair. He was yet again looking as innocent as anyone could be...Seto simply loved that look. Ryou blushed lightly and blinked his chocolate eyes a few times at the touch. "Thank you Ryou..." Seto said after a moment and smiled. "No...no problem..." Ryou stammered slightly, as Seto removed his hand from his soft hair. "Then, I'll see you tonight." Seto said smiling and turning on his heel to leave, no other words said.  
  
Ryou stared after Seto, heart pounding slightly and blushing. He shook his head a little and tried to regain his composure. He hadn't been expecting Seto to be so kind to him...and well...he wasn't sure what to think....but now he felt he really needed to go to Kaiba corp. to see what Seto had planned.  
  
Seto smiled, Ryou had accepted his invitation. This meant he could sweet talk the gorgeous little change of heart into his grasp. He just knew Ryou was a hopeless romantic. He might even be so blown away by a simple guesture of endearment, that he'd win him over with no trouble what-so- ever. That yami of Ryou's had been so harsh to Ryou that he had become accustomed to not having many good things happen to him. Seto smirked as he walked. "I'll change all that..."  
  
Ryou opened his door and put his things in their accustomed place. "Yami! I'm going out tonight....!" He said, shruging slightly. Bakura never cared when he went out, he cared even less when he came back. "Oh really?" He said looking up from a paticularly interesting book. "Well...yeah...Yugi invited me to a party, and afterwards I'm gonna stop by Kaiba corp. ok?" Bakura looked up. "Seto's place?" Ryou nodded. "You dont even like him. What do you think you're going to do there?"  
  
Ryou blinked a bit. "Since when do YOU care?" Bakura put down his book and glared at Ryou. "You aren't going." Ryou stared dumbly at him for a moment. "What?" He said getting slightly confused. "You aren't going. Need I spell it out for you?" Bakura said standing in front of Ryou. "....but..." Ryou started to protest before Bakura huffed. "You aren't going to 'hang out' with Seto!" Bakura said angrily.  
  
Ryou stared at Bakura like he'd grown a second, possibly THIRD head. "W- what?" He said supprised at his yami's insistance that he stay. "Yami, I'm not breaking my previous engagements because you dont want me going..." Ryou said turning to go to his room. "It's rude" Bakura grabbed Ryou by the back of his collar. "You aren't going...even if it means I have to lock you in this house." Bakura said in a deathly malicious and calm tone.  
  
Ryou narrowed his eyes. "I'm NOT staying." He said unbuttoning his shirt and slipping it off, leaving Bakura holding an empty dress shirt, as he ran to his room to slam the door shut and push the nearest heavy object infront of the door. Bakura's anger became more obvious when he couldn't get into Ryou's room. "RYOU! You will open this damned door this instant if you value your life!"  
  
Ryou stayed plastered to the desk he had shoved in front of the door. "I WONT! If you think I'll open this door for you, in the states you're in, you're bloody mad!" Ryou almost squeaked. He was honestly a bit scared. Sure his yami threatened his life...but he'd never actually chased him DOWN in anger before.... He was trembling slightly. 'I'm sure the only reason I could move this desk...was because of the adreneline...' he thought to himself as he continued to push against Bakura's pounding on the door... 


	5. An Indianna jones to get there, and a pa...

The time before the party ticked away as Ryou stayed against the desk. He now had less than 40 minutes to get to that party...Seto was expecting him, he had promised Yugi...he HAD to be there. Ryou never broke his word.  
  
He waited more....30 minutes left now...the pounding was begining to slow and soften in volume. Ryou was starting to calm down.  
  
25 minutes left now. The pounding had silenced. Ryou took the oppertunity to dress. He put on his cargo jeans, a black sweater and his black high-tops.  
  
20 minutes. "...hmm..." Ryou said looking at the door. "Its so quiet....I wonder if he wore himself out?" he said wondering if he should open the door and take a peek if his yami was still there...  
  
15 minutes left. Ryou couldn't help his curiousity, he quietly moved the desk from the door, just enough to take a small peek out of his door. His yami, was indeed waiting for him. Once again he was enraged. "RYOU!! I'M SERIOUS!" he said lunging at the door.  
  
Ryou squeaked and quickly shoved the desk back in front of the door, breaking the handle. "Uh oh...no way out...." He said looking to his window. "The window! Of couse!" he said smiling. Bakura of course, heard that and began pounding the door with such ferocity that the door began to give away.  
  
12 minutes until the party. The door was begining to splinter. Ryou had managed to open his window, but his room was on the second floor. "Oh no! I forgot..." he said as the door shattered and Bakura shoved the desk roughly across the room.  
  
10 minutes left....It happened in less than a blink. Ryou looked to his left, there was a drain pipe out of his reach, by about 5 feet. Ryou jumped for the drain pipe just as Bakura reached the window. To Ryou, it was all in slow motion...the moment he jumped for that pipe he was running only on adrenaline. When he grabbed the pipe and slid down to the ground he was breathing hard and looking up at Bakura. "....that....was possibly the least intelligent thing I've ever done..." he said as he began running to the party.  
  
Ryou stopped at the busy corner as the salters and scrapers rolled down the street. Yugi waved from the other side of the street. He was typically him, next to him stood Yami. They were both in identical black leather pants with black tank tops and their buckles. Ryou found the buckles a little amusing sometimes. Mainly because Yugi had once had to un-buckle each and every one in front of him. It took all of 5 minutes. The only reason he had, was because Ryou had wanted to time him...but who's that picky?  
  
Ryou trotted across the street and smiled. "Well I'm here...you've managed to drag me to a social activity Yugi. Nice to see you Yami. Aren't you two cold?" Ryou said smiling. Yugi smiled and handed Ryou his ticket. "Nah, its gonna be hot once we get in there start partying!" Ryou noticed the spiked wristbands Yugi was wearing and chuckled inwardly. "Thank you Yugi..." He said taking the ticket.  
  
Yami shook his head smiling. "You need to get out more Ryou, its the least we could offer." He said giving Ryou the ever-confident grin. Ryou smiled and bowed his head. "Thank you too...although I dont really agree with one of you sneaking in." Yugi laughed a bit. "Sneak in? never.." He said smiling with a bold glint to his eyes. Yami laughed as well. "I'm only going because Yugi insisted we go." Ryou smiled. "It seems that I'm not the only one here for that reason then..."  
  
Ryou went inside, followed by Yugi, who was later followed by Yami who said he had simply gone outside for a breath of fresh air. The music was BLAIRING loud, teen bodies completely under-dressed for such a cold season danced and pressed against eachother to the music. There was a bar, there were snacks, and games...it was a massive coglomeration of all the teenagers in the city!  
  
Ryou could barely believe his eyes. "Hi Ryou!" Anzu said popping a party cracker over his head, sending glitter and streamers all over him. "Uh...hi Anzu." Ryou said as he began trying to remove the glitter and streamers from his being. Yugi laughed. "looks like you're her first victim of the glitter bombs." he said laughing...laughing until another loud POP was heard, followed by an equal amount of glitter falling on him. "Anzu! Oh man! I'm covered in glitter!" Yami laughed at his hikari. "Its a good look for you." he said smirking.  
  
Anzu giggled and gave Ryou a playful kiss on the cheek. "Well, I'll be back you guys! I have to find Jono and Honda..." She said smiling wickedly and holding up two PATICULARLY large 'glitter bombs' as Yugi had put it. Ryou chuckled. "I dont think she'll ever run out of things to explode over our heads..." he said shaking his head. Yugi chuckled. "You mean like hormones? Or maybe her girlish rants of whats right and wrong?"  
  
Yami burst into laughter. "If she EVER heard you say that, there'd be another bomb going off in this building, and I dont think it'd be a glitter bomb." Ryou snickered. "You two...its a wonder she hasn't heard you..." he said trying, and failing miserably, to get the glitter from his hair and clothes once more.  
  
"Its ok Ryou, they say body glitter is in...." Yugi chirped amused. "Its not gonna come off...40 gazillion showers later you'll STILL be finding it all over the place...its like its got super glue on it or something..." Yami got a flat look. "Trust him...we know." Yugi laughed. "WE know...or YOU know?" He said grinning at Yami. Yami looked at his spiked wristband as if it were a clock. "Oh...whaddya know...its time to....uh...erm...go to the bar!" he said walking off as though the question had never been asked.  
  
Yugi laughed. "I'd better follow him, he doesn't know much yet about liquors....he might get drunk, and the last thing I need to lead back to the game shop is a drunken Yami." Ryou smiled and sat down at one of the tables set up in the large area. He was only too glad. The run had really tuckered him out. "I'll never run that far again...at least he didn't follow me..." Ryou said as he watched the lights flicker and flash from blues to greens and pinks and so on. There were fog machines and disco balls. It was really all there could be at a party.  
  
Ryou was growing hungry as the hours ticked by. He had spend most of his time there so far, hanging with his friends and doing a little bit of chatting with a few less known friends of his, even Haga was there. It TRULY was a party of parties. He was only too glad, at the moment, to make use of the snack table. The food there was everything NON-cookable. 'Things made to make you fat and rot your teeth, yet leave you very happy you ate them.' He mused as he got some chips and a sandwich.  
  
Yugi bumped into him in at the table, as he was grabbing his food. "Oh...Hi Ryou....hee hee...wooo." he said slightly tipsy from the drinks he had with Yami. Ryou chuckled. "You seem a little tippy Yugi, you sure you wont be as drunk as Yami when the time comes to go home?" Yugi nodded enthusiastically. "pssssshhhht.." he said over-extending the 'sh' sound. "Of coooourse not...I only had a liiittle...heh heh" he slurred slightly going into a short fit of giggles. Ryou shook his head merrily and helped Yugi to a table.  
  
Ryou had yet to drink anything from the bar. Perhaps it was because he feared going home drunk....or maybe just drunkly going HOME. Whatever the case, he hadn't drank yet. Jono sat next to him holding a cup out to him. "C'mon Ryou, whats a teen party if you dont get even a little tipsy?" Honda plopped down on the other side of Ryou. "Yeah man, you're seriously neglecting one of the more sacred of the traditions of teenhood!"  
  
Ryou laughed a bit and shook his head. "You mean the tradition of getting so drunk that I might... oh, walk about with a lamp shade on my head slurring 'I'm the merry old king of England!' ?" Ryou said pointing to his head and crossing his eyes to get his point further across. Honda laughed a bit. "The one and the same." he said merrily. Ryou shook his head. "Not at the moment for me guys, if I'm going to become a drunkard, I will do so LONG after you're too drunk to remember me doing it." He said laughing. "If I decide to even do it."  
  
Jono nodded and handed the spare cup to Honda. "You dont know what you're missin' Ryou." They said getting up and merrily going back to the party. "A horrid hangover perhaps?" he said after them shaking his head and laughing. Ryou was simply too amused at the moment to drink anything that might make him forget the things he was seeing.  
  
Yami and Yugi, were in fact so drunk, that in order to sober up they had agreed to couple dance, propped up on eachother to maintain a form of balance, until at least one of them could count to 25 without slurring or pausing to think of the next number. So, in fact they were dancing and chanting '1...2...3...uh..' and continuing up the list as time ticked by. Ryou wished he had brought a camera. It would have been quite the picture to put in his photo album. He could lable it the '1...2...3 sober dance'.  
  
It was now quite late. 1:00, yet the party raged as though it had only just begun. No one seemed to have left. Ryou had finally agreed, after more than a little persuasion from everyone he knew, to indulge in a few drinks.  
  
AN: In Japan, the legal drinking age is 20, but you are essentially allowed to drink once you turn 18. There are even vending machines that dole out small bottles of alcohol in various locations. Also, let it be known, that an 18 year old could purchase the liquors for underage teens and it'd still be legal. lucky people.... eh heh heh hmm slightly drunk Ryou? heh oooh break out the lamp shades he might well do that 'merry king of england' thing! lol not really ^_~ 


	6. be a pal and top me off wwwoooooo

Ryou was now officially as tipsy as could be. He wasn't drunk...but he could tell he needed to stop the drinking for a bit. He wasn't a heavy- weight. Quite the contrary, he was the light-weight of the year. Yugi and Yami had sobered up at this point. "I drank more than you..." Yugi said grinning cheesily. Yami shook his head. "Not a chance, I drank more than YOU." Ryou giggled and shook his head a bit. Yami was even competitive when it came to how much he could drink.  
  
Bakura grumbled. It was cold. Perhaps he should have told his hikari why he didn't want him to go...he probably hated him now. He sighed as he wandered slowly to the party. "I'm sorry..." he said to the snow as it fell. He knew he had trouble expressing himself in a less angry way. Well...to Ryou. He wanted more than anything to protect him from the dangers of the world...but he couldn't be his mother. He was a brute to him for a reason. To toughen the gentle hikari up enough to fend for himself.  
  
"I should be more reasonable." he mumbled as he reached the corner. In fact, he had indeed had good reason to want Ryou to stay home. Seto. He knew Seto would be at that party, and he had more than a hunch he would use Ryou. "I've been so stupid! I should have realized he'd fall for it..." He muttered kicking a light post as he walked past, but suddenly regretting it as cold air rushed past and it seemed to increase the pain in his foot. He almost had Seto's whole plan mapped out.  
  
Bakura had always been there for his hikari, in secret. He always followed him. Even if he sometimes felt that Ryou was a hopeless romantisizer of human emotion and dreams. Prehaps it was because Ryou had grown up with a more caring family than the ancient tomb robber had. It was true, that Bakura was jealous of the friendships Ryou had, sometimes.  
  
He'd always been alone. In his life, no one was trusted...and when his soul had been ripped from his being...and trapped in the millenium ring. It had left him bitter and angry with the world for over a thousand years. He supposed that since Ryou was friends with the pharaoh's hikari...that maybe THAT is what triggered his anger to force itself out on Ryou. Bakura growled. "I dont have time to psycho-analyse myself...I have to get to that party!" he said speeding up his walk.  
  
Ryou grinned and popped a glitter bomb over Yami's head. "Ahh! Ryou!" the pharaoh yelped and feverishly began dusting himself off. "NO!!!" Yugi burst into such a powerful fit of giggles he fell backwards, from the chair he had been perched on, to the floor. Ryou laughed. "You ok Yugi?" He said helping his friend up tipsily. "heh heh heh..Yami is so preeeeeetty.." Yugi said in a teasing voice. Yami's ears practically smoked. "I am NOT pretty!" Yugi grinned. "oh-my-god, that glitter is -like- SOOOO cool." The amused hikari said, in the most prep-ish impression he could muster. Yami was steaming. "Yugi!" he said in a warning tone. Yugi smirked, giving his yami a harmless look. "Yes Yami?" Yami sighed. "Nevermind..." he said giving up on getting the glitter off...it was a lost cause.  
  
Ryou wandered away from his friends and sighed. He sometimes longed for the acceptance Yugi's yami gave to him, from his own yami. They WERE two sides of the same coin weren't they?  
  
Seto smirked. Ryou had indeed come to the party, now was his chance. If he played his cards right, he could steal the heart of the white haired teen, and seal away the source of his troubles...the millenium ring. If he played his cards right, Seto was almost positive that Ryou would hand over the ring without so much as a question. "After all, his 'yami MUST hate him...' right?" Seto said smirking.  
  
It was simply perfect timing. Bakura had managed to get into the party. He stared dumbly at the massive amount of teens. "Ra...theres so many...how will I ever find Ryou?!" he said as he began wandering through the crowd. Unfortunatly, at that same moment, Seto made his appearance to Ryou.  
  
"Hello Ryou." He said smiling. Ryou blinked and looked over his shoulder. "Oh! Hi Seto!" Ryou said turning to face him. "There's so many people here...I was begining to think I'd never get to talk to you." the change of heart added. Seto chuckled a little. "Oceans couldn't keep me from you Ryou." Ryou blinked and blushed lightly. "The mood's nice enough...care to dance?" Seto said offering his hand to Ryou. "Oh...I couldn't...I have two left feet really.." Ryou said blushing. Seto smiled. "Then I'll teach you."  
  
Bakura was begining to get frustrated. "For Isis' sake! where in bloody hell is he?!" A girl in green and her dance partner bumped him, knocking him over. He growled. "Oh, like sorry dude!" they said paying him no real mind. "This is ridiculous!" He fumed getting up, swearing to get them back, as he stalked on. "This is like swiming against the currents of the Nile!" The statement wasn't far off...it truly was an ocean of half drunken teens.  
  
Yugi giggled. "Yami...look Ryou's dancing with Seto!" he said jabbing his yami in the side. Yami only smiled. "Well...maybe he's the one Ryou needs. After all...Bakura is so unkind to him, he needs love in his life." Yami said noticing a familiar love-sick look in Ryou's eyes. Yugi giggled. "It reminds me of us..." Yami playfully batted Yugi in the back of the head. "Maybe, back when you weren't such a brat!" Yugi gave his yami a pouty angry face. "Brat?! I'll have you know you're a much bigger brat than mister pharaoh." Yami huffed. "Never in any millenia will I be a brat." Yugi rolled his eyes and playfully shoved his yami. "Whatever you say Yami."  
  
Honda snickered. "Looks like Ryou's havin a great time, it only took him a FEW hours..." He said enthusiastically. Jono smirked. "You betcha! The point of a party is to PAR-TAY!" He said putting another knock on his drinking belt. "I just dont know if he should hang with Seto..." Honda said thoughtfully. "Aww dont go pokin' yer nose where it ain't needed Honda, sheesh!"  
  
The song switched to a faster beat. Ryou blinked. "Already?" Seto laughed. "How late are you going to stay Ryou?" Ryou frowned. "Until my yami cools his heels a bit..." Seto shook his head. "So...you dont have plans of going home? Its nearly three in the morning." Ryou shook his head in supprise. "Three?! Its that late?!" Seto patted Ryou on the back. "I take it you've been having fun."  
  
The music blaired in Bakura's ears. "I'm...going...to go deaf!" He shouted as loud as he could...noticing he barely heard himself. He sighed. "I cant even hear myself speak..." He said really not hearing his mumbles. Still no Ryou...what was this place?! A place where people maliciously LOSE other people on purpose?  
  
Ryou grinned and took another drink of his Bahama Breeze. "I dont know what I'm going to do when I get home..." Seto frowned and took a drink of his Citron lemonade. "How about you stay at my place? You said you'd come over anyway. I have a few guest rooms. You can take your pick. I'll even get you some new clothes for you to wear tomorrow." Ryou gawked at him. "I...I simply couldn't! Thats imposing of the worst sort!" Seto frowned. "Its not imposing if you're invited, and I invited you." Ryou frowned. "Are you sure I wont be any trouble?" Seto laughed. "I'm sure." He was only a few steps from prying that ring from Ryou. All he needed to do, was get Ryou on his turf and ask him...  
  
Bakura grumbled and stumbled past the dancing teens, he was being ping- ponged from left to right and he was begining to get seasick. 'I'm starting to wonder if this was such a good idea...' he thought as he caught sight of Yugi. He smiled, Yugi could NEVER tell if he was Ryou or not. "Perfect!" He said running over to him. "Yugi!" Yugi blinked. "I thought you were having a few drinks with Seto." He said fanning himself lightly. "Wow sure is a great party isn't it?"  
  
Obviously Yugi had been dancing for some time now. "Well yes I was, I just came over to sober a little...thats all." Bakura said in mock Ryou accent. Yugi shrugged. "You seem sober enough, you haven't drank that much.." He said grinning. "Oh!" He said catching sight of Yami waving him over. "I have to go, Yami wants to see me. Sorry to leave ya hangin!" He said running over to his yami. Bakura looked over to the bar.  
  
It seemed like a VAST ocean between him and Ryou. For the first time that evening he had ACTUALLY caught sight of his Hikari. Bakura frowned. "Seto..." He said glaring. Seto had already gotten to Ryou!  
  
"So..you wanna go to my house now? I can tell you're getting tired." Seto said as Ryou yawned slightly. "Well...alright...perhaps it would be a good idea..." He said finishing his Bahama Breeze and stumbling over to get another. Seto laughed. Ryou grinned sheepishly. "I rather like this stuff...." he said drinking his third or fourth in less than two hours. He was less able to walk than he had been when he got there. Seto helped him to the door. Sure enough. there was a limo waiting almost like it was timed.  
  
Bakura yelled in frustration. "Where are they now?!" He said looking around the bar. He had seen them stand up...but as he had drawn nearer to the bar, luck would have it that he was knocked over for possibly the 40th time that night.  
  
AN: WOOOOO druuuunk....still know where you live? ok...I'll dance with you. 1....2....3....uhhhh...^_^ 


	7. Wait for me!

I should have said no.... Someone's waiting for me... Listen baby I'm sorry... I just wanna tell you dont worry... I will be late dont wait up for me...  
  
  
  
Ryou got into the limo with Seto. "Wow...its really nice in here..." He said his chocolaty eyes wide. Seto laughed a bit. "Its only a limo Ryou...haven't you ever ridden in one?" Ryou shook his head dumbfounded  
  
Bakura stumbled out of the building just as the limo left. "GODS FREAKING DAMNIT!!" He yelled, followed by a string of Egyptian curses so colorful and foul they could have killed many a priest. This meant two things...one, Seto was a damn fast worker....and two...another trek through the cold! Bakura cursed again and began his long journey from the party to Kaiba corp.  
  
Yami stepped out of the party. "Tomb robber!" He said with a knowing tone. Bakura turned, shivering, to glare at his pharaoh. "What do YOU want?" He sneered. He still held Yami at fault for his very entrapment in the ring. "Your hikari...you're going after him aren't you?" Yami said...no real question in his tone. Bakura glared. "So what if I am? What's it to you?" Yami smiled warmly. Bakura growled. "What?!" Yami shook his head. "You finally care...just as your time draws to a possible close..." Bakura gaped at him. "Explain yourself pharaoh." Yami walked over to Bakura. "Seto plans to remove your bond to Ryou. Seal you away. Isn't it obvious?"  
  
Bakura sighed. "I know! Blast it pharaoh....you're just as bratty and ambiguous as you were when we were both in our rightful places!" Yami chuckled. "Its not my place to associate with THIEVES...yet, I still step from my boundaries to help you..." He said smiling as a taxi arrived. "Thief...for once I hope you can achieve your goal..." Yami said paying the driver in advance and opening the door for Bakura. "I'm sure you understand your need to rush off..." Yami said as Bakura got in. "Sir, please take my friend to Kaiba corporation." Yami added shutting the door.  
  
Bakura grumbled. "I'll never know how he can read people like that..." he said as the cabby took him to the said destination. "The weather is really rough aint it kid?" The cabby said making light conversation. Bakura nodded slightly. "Its nothing like Egypt..." he muttered. "Egypt? you're from Egypt? Wow...I dont get many colorful riders." Bakura growled. "Please....hurry.." He forced polliteness. One thing he learned from Ryou...honey catches more flies than vinigar.  
  
Ryou stared at the vast number of guest rooms that lined the absolute TOP floor of the tall corporation building. "My...my goodness..." He said as he sheepishly looked in each one. "You have me WELL beat in hospitality..." he said gawking at each lavish room, well enough furnished and comfortable that they may have each passed for a 5-star hotel or resort suite.  
  
"Take your pick Ryou...any one you pick will be a decent room." Seto said amused as Ryou peeked in each room again. "They are all so nice..." He said looking down slightly. "You're sure I wont be a bother?" Seto laughed. "I'm sure, I called an executive of mine, he picked you up some pajamas...I hope they fit right... when you're all showered and cleaned up..." Seto said chuckling and running a finger through Ryou's hair, and then showing him the glitter that was stuck to his finger. "I'd like a quick word before we go to bed ok?" Ryou nodded. "Anzu got me....with a glitter bomb..." He said slightly pink.  
  
"Finally!" Bakura said darting from the cab and running to the glass double doors. He gave them a light tug. "Figures...." He said noting their locked state. "Hmmph...its no different than it was a millenia ago..." He said pulling a pin from the hinge of the door as though he'd trained his whole life to do so. "Hmmph..." He said using it to pry the lower from its position and opening the door in a new way. He sighed spotting a few alarm systems. "Its funny how times haven't changed that much..."  
  
Ryou scrubbed his hair for possibly, as Yugi has said, the '40 gazillion'th time, and he was still as sparkly as ever. "Darn it...rotty glitter..." he said stepping from the shower and wrapping a towel around his waist. He looked in the mirror that was slightly steamy. "I look like a pixie..." He chuckled as he began drying his hair. As he did so, glitter fell from his hair to his chest and arms. Ryou gave the mirror a flat look. "I can hear you calling me 'pathetic' miles away yami..." He dressed in the pajamas Seto had gotten for him. Black really was a nice contrast to his hair.  
  
Bakura was rather proud of his ability to climb the coporation with little to no problems with the security. There was only one incident...but that guard is in dreamland now. Bakura finally cleared the secure areas to the less secure areas. "I'll remind myself to take up thievery again when this is over." He said spotting the long corridor of rooms. "Are you ALL against me?!" he grumbled and began checking each room for his Hikari.  
  
Seto had already beaten Bakura, for possibly the 500th time that night, to Ryou and taken him BACK downstairs. (dear gods! its like an anti-Bakura conspiracy!) Bakura practically screamed when he had searched each room for his Hikari and found no trace, other than a steamy bathroom and a pile of clothes, the clothes he had worn to the party, neatly piled in a corner. "Oh....let me guess.." He said flatly before heading BACK downstairs. "This is not my evening..."  
  
"Ryou...I know how Bakura has been treating you." Seto said flatly. Ryou blinked and looked down. "I...I dont know what you're talking about..." Ryou mumbled lightly. Seto shook his head. "You cant lie Ryou." Ryou pulled his knees to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. "Its....a rather tender subject Seto.." He mumbled. Seto ran a hand through Ryou's hair. "I can make all that go away..." Ryou blinked. "...A-away?" Seto nodded. "All you have to do is give me your millenium ring, and it will all go away." Ryou ran a hand along his ring.  
  
Bakura rushed around downstairs, but there were simply TOO many rooms, halls, and offices. He had to search each one though...for fear of missing Ryou yet again. He froze mid-step. "No!"  
  
Ryou looked at the Millenium ring he held in his hands. He had removed it already...but something gnawed at the edges of his mind...like something forgotten before a long trip.  
  
Bakura began running faster. If he gave Seto that ring, he would not only be sealed back into it, but he'd never get his chance to apologize and explain to his Hikari. "Please Ryou....dont give it to him!" He pleaded, his legs burning from the physical strain.  
  
Seto scooted closer to Ryou. "Whats wrong?" Ryou shook his head. "I dont know....is this right?" Seto frowned. "Why do you wonder about that?" Ryou frowned. "Shadi told Yugi, the bearers of the millenium items were DESTINED for them..." Seto shook his head. "Do you think its your destiny to endure physical, mental, and emotional abuse for the rest of your life, when it is already so hard for you? Your parents are hardly near you, you have school, bills, meals and other needs...are you truly destined to go through hell on Earth?" Seto said shaking his head. "No one deserves that."  
  
Bakura was begining to tremble now. His bond was getting weaker, he was begining to lose his physical form. "Ryou! please! PUT THE RING BACK ON!!"  
  
Ryou shook his head. "N-no...I dont deserve hell...but..." Seto shook his head. "Ryou, forget him. He obviously has no regret for how he has been treating you. Why do you defend him? He will only continue to hurt you. Always." Ryou blinked his innocent eyes at Seto. "Do you....you really think so? Do you really think he has no remorse?" Seto nodded. "If he did...he would have felt it LONG ago." Ryou looked down. "...but..."  
  
Bakura was getting weaker. He was trying desperatly to conserve the link, but doing that took his energy, energy he needed to find Ryou. But in order to find Ryou he needed to move around outside of the ring. It was a maddening situation. "I'm BEGGING you Ryou! Stop!" He shouted once more. His voice was hoarse and he was fading in and out of being.  
  
Ryou gripped the ring tightly. "You dont HAVE to give me the ring Ryou, I'm just giving you the option to have a better life." Ryou looked at Seto again. "N-no..." He whispered. "I....I'll give it to you..." He said handing the ring to Seto.  
  
Bakura stumbled into the room breathless, at that very moment. "Ryou Wai--- !!" He managed to say before he disappeared, his soul once more sealed in the ring that was now resting in Seto's hand. Ryou trembled a little. 'did....did I do the right thing?' he thought as Seto smiled and pocketed the ring. "C'mon Ryou, its time for your first worry-free night." he said helping the shaking Ryou to his feet.  
  
Bakura pounded the labyrinth walls. "NO! let me out! My hikari needs me!" He said sinking to his knees. "No..." He said pounding the stone floor. "...Ryou.." He said, voice cracking slightly. For the first time in over a thousand years...Bakura cried. Not because he was trapped in the ring, but because he hadn't had the chance to explain why he had always been so horrible to Ryou...to explain that he didn't mean that for him...to tell him all that really needed to be said.  
  
Ryou laid away in his bed. The image of his yami frozen at the door, eyes wide and pleading. 'Ryou wai---!!' the last words of his yami replayed themselves over and over in his mind. He frowned. "Did...did I do the right thing?" He said to the early morning sky.  
  
Seto chuckled and hooked the ring on a hook in his vault. "Lets see the famous tomb robber escape his own personal prison. If I have anything to say in the subject you'll never see the light of day again." He said shutting the door and locking it. The ring hung on the hook, still swinging slightly. It almost radiated sadness. The sadness of the soul trapped within.  
  
Bakura had pounded the walls in a fit of mournful rage, to the point that his fists bled and there were gouges in his palms from his fingernails. "Ryou!!" He still had wet cheeks and the floor had droplets of blood and tears from the tomb robber. He pressed his back to the wall and stared at his shaking bloodied hands.  
  
Memories rushed through his mind more fiercly than the most intense sandstorm.  
  
"Tomb thief Bakura! For you actions against the throne, and lack of respect for the tombs of the departed I sentance you to..."  
  
"I wont let you rule this world! I will seal away these powers! You shall never have them!"  
  
"Hiya Ryou! How are things?"  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
"Ryou, I'm going off again. I have to take care of some business in South Africa, hold down the fort while I'm gone ok son?"  
  
"I thought maybe if we talked....we could get to like eachother"  
  
"Why do you have to be like this?!"  
  
"I-I'm s-sorry Yami..."  
  
"Listen later, dress now."  
  
"Y-Yami its 15 degrees below zero out there! I cant...go out without my sweater!"  
  
"I just dont understand why he holds so much hate for me..."  
  
  
  
It eats me from inside... that you're not by my side... just because I made that call...  
  
  
  
AN: could this be the end? HA! no of course not..I'm a sap...couldn't possibly leave things so sad like this... oh and in case you're wondering...YES Bakura WAS the Mystery person. As the last Quote clearly states..dont believe me...dont remember that line? look baaaack... ^_^ 


	8. A time to regret

Ryou struggled to sleep, but when he finally managed he woke at near noon the next day. He was greeted by a tray next to his bed. It had fresh pancakes and eggs on it, with a cold glass of milk. He stared at it for a long time. "yami loved pancakes..." He said picking up the tray and eating.  
  
Bakura wandered around the labyrinth for hours, until his feet were sore and his vision blurred the stone walls together. He followed his feet aimlessly, until he stopped in his chamber. "Oh..." He muttered going in. "Theres no point in waiting up...I've lost him..." He said kicking at the floor. He wished that one of the stones on the floor were loose. Just one would do...something, anything to throw or break.  
  
Ryou had been given new clothes, and he had long since gathered his things, save the ring which was now in Seto's safe, and put them in a bag. He had called for a taxi to take him home.  
  
Yami shook his head. Bakura simply wasn't fast enough to beat Seto's plan. 'looks like you met a fate worse than any sentance I could have given you in days past...' Yugi looked at his yami. "whats wrong?" He said popping a few aspirin and rubbing his head. "Ohhh...I'll never have a drinking contest with you and Jono and Honda ever again...." Yami sighed. "Its just a problem that will resolve itself, one way....or the other." Yugi blinked. "What kinda problem?" Yami shook his head smiling. "Its nothing Yugi, its just a little problem that will resolve itself...dont you worry." Yugi hugged Yami. "You dont have to make up excuses not to tell me things Yami, I understand if you have secrets..." Yami laughed. "Secrets? After all this time?" Yugi shook his head. "Everyone has them...I know you do..knowingly or not." Yami laughed slightly. "You're every bit as mysterious as I am...I now see why it is annoying."  
  
Ryou wandered to his room and shook his head at the splintered door and scratched floors. "How will I ever explain such a mess to father..?" He said pushing the desk back to its place of origin. "I guess its a good thing I keep emergency funds...for things Yami might break..." Ryou frowned. "For...things he used to break..." he corrected himself.  
  
Bakura laid on his bed and stared at the stone celing. "4....5...6.." He counted each individual stone. Each one making him think of Ryou more and more. He sighed as the image of Ryou standing sadly in the snow...and talking about how much he tried to get along with his yami. "...Oh Ryou...I'm so sorry...I wish I could have told you..." He muttered to the dank walls. "I was so angry at the world....the only REAL weak one was me..." He said sighing. "I was weak...and you were strong enough to endure everything I did to you...and STILL try to be friends with me...I'm such an ass..."  
  
Ryou poked at his lunch dully. He just couldn't force himself to eat. He looked to the empty chair across from him, and remembered eating the same meal only a few weeks before.  
  
  
  
"This stuff sucks! How can you eat this? Its still breathing!"  
  
"What do you MEAN playing with my food?! I'm not playing with food...I'm PLAYING with some THING you clubbed and drug in from the backyard!"  
  
"You're so useless...you cant even COOK!"  
  
  
  
Ryou smiled a little...as an image of Bakura tasting his first hot pepper flooded into his mind.  
  
  
  
"RA!! where is the water!!"  
  
"My mouth is on fire!!"  
  
"H-how can you FEED someone that stuff?! You're likely to kill someone! That stuff is hotter than the Sahara!"  
  
  
  
He sighed and picked up his plate, resigned to the fact...that he just couldn't eat. Yami, even when he was a pain...still had the emotion of endearment...and try as he had to hide it...it shone through to Ryou many times...many more had become obvious to Ryou...now that he was gone... Ryou remembered a situation a few months back when he had been stuck outside on the ledge of his school. He didn't even really remember how he had gotten there...it was so frightening.  
  
  
  
"Y-yami! I'm going to fall!"  
  
"No you wont you whiner...its just a narrow ledge...you're fine ok? Just stay close to the wall and you'll be fine."  
  
"I'll FALL!"  
  
"Ryou...I promise you wont fall...you're such a baby sometimes..."  
  
"Its so high...I hate heights!"  
  
"Its only high if you look down...set your sights higher and you wont be scared of falling. Focus on a cloud and think of how nice it will be when you're off this ledge, instead of the ground...and how horrible it will be when you fall."  
  
"...ok..."  
  
  
  
Ryou sighed. His yami had saved him that day...he would have surely fallen had Bakura not been there to coax him to stop thinking of what would happen if he fell...what would happen if he gave up... Ryou felt tears welling up in his eyes. "...If I gave up...Like I gave up on you..." He said as tears began their journey down his face. "You cared all along...and just didn't know how to show it...and when I was in doubt...you always knew the way..."  
  
Yami sighed as he watched the news. Yugi was curled up next to him napping against him.  
  
//Come on Bakura...I know you're smarter than that...have you given up already?//  
  
Bakura sighed. //So what if I have? ...It doesn't matter anymore...//  
  
//So what if you have? Then you truly have grown old and feeble. The Bakura I 'vaguely' remember would never have given up.//  
  
Bakura scowled. //Vaguely?// he scoffed. //You remember it all damn well you liar.//  
  
Yami smirked. //Pharaohs dont lie Bakura.//  
  
//Cheeky bratish unruly pharaoh princes do.// Bakura said sitting up.  
  
Yami chuckled a little. //Fine fine, I remember just fine. I also know you never gave up, through all the punishments I laid on your head, all the tortures I gave you in the past, you made it your duty to be a pain through it all.//  
  
Bakura rolled his eyes. //shouldn't have tried to make ME your little slave boy then, you did that just to spite me.//  
  
Yami smiled. //No, I did it because I couldn't bring myself to have you killed. You have a good heart...even if its sometimes on the end of sticky fingers. Which by the way, you still haven't outgrown.//  
  
Bakura sighed. //what do you know...you're just a pharaoh who had it all on a silver platter...still do.//  
  
Yami shook his head. //You had a silver platter too Bakura, but you were too busy seeing its flaws to see the true value of that platter.//  
  
Bakura growled. //If you taunt me pharaoh, I WILL kill you someday.//  
  
Yami shook his head again. //You aren't listening to me thief. Go to him...you still can, for a moment...your link is very weak...but you can still tell him you are sorry...at least you wont spend the rest of your existance in misery.//  
  
Bakura nodded. //Thank you...again...// 


	9. Final Goodbye?

Yami watched Yugi as he slept. It was really a peaceful sight. Yugi was so innocent and childish. He had yet to REALLY know the harshness of the world. He still was seeing the world through a child's eyes. Yami smiled. If he had any say in the matter, Yugi would continue to be innocent and happy.  
  
Bakura had taken some advice from Yami, wait until night to try to contact Ryou. It took far less energy to speak to a sleeping mind, than an alert one. Bakura stared at the walls dumbly. "What time is it?" he said to nothing. "Why didn't someone think to have a window installed in here?" He grumbled roughly pushing off of his bed and wandering around aimlessly again.  
  
His feet lead him to the ancient baths in the maze of tunnels. "Oh....heh....bath..." He said bemused at his wanderings leading him there. He stripped and got into the pool of water. He needed to wash up anyway...his hands and arms were streaked with dried blood. He sighed as he washed himself, the soap stinging his hands. He smelled now of ancient perfumes as he pulled his dripping form from the pool and began drying himself off.  
  
He dressed in clean, yet very old clothes. A white linnen tunic with a decorative green and gold cloth hanging over the tunic. He slipped on a pair of sandles and his gold wrist bands. He gumbled about the dirty clothes and picked them up, taking them to a different pool and washing them.  
  
Bakura smiled and wrung out the freshly spotless clothes. If there was one thing he was always picky about, it was his being, and clothes were spotless (which by the way is typically Egyptian! Dont believe me? check up on it) He laid the clothes out to dry. "What time is it?" He said again to the empty walls. "For Ra's sake! I need a clock!"  
  
Ryou sighed as he cleaned his house...for the 5th time that day. The house was almost as clean as a hospital. "...What now?" He said sitting down on the couch and sighing. He looked at the VCR. 8:30 pm flashed in neon blue letters. "Maybe...I should just go to bed..." He muttered shaking his head. Without Yami around....there simply was nothing to do...  
  
Bakura growled and kicked a wall, before wincing and doing the 'ouch I just dumbly hurt my foot kicking something that was never in a million years going to be hurt' hopping on one foot dance. "OW! Blast it! Stupid stupid stupid!" He said going to kick it again, before stopping short and getting a slightly enlightened look. "...now why would I want to do that again?"  
  
"Is it night yet?" He mumbled pacing in his chamber. "Ra...why on EARTH am I talking to myself?" he said slapping his forehead lightly. "Becase this is something RYOU does..." he answered himself. "Oh gods...now I'm answering myself..." He said slumping. "I'm going to become a mental case..."  
  
Ryou yawned and crawled into bed, turning off his bedside lamp. "Goodnight....house..." He said looking at the empty silent house. The silence was eerie, it was begining to get to Ryou. He closed his eyes and forced himself to sleep.  
  
Bakura twitched in frustration. "WHAT BLOODY TIME IS IT?!" he screamed, hearing his voice echo down the endless corridors. He sighed. "Strike me down where I stand! All this waiting is making me insane!" He yelled and groaned. Nothing happened. "Its like you're all mocking me! Is this a punishment for all those tombs I robbed?!" Silence still. Bakura put his hands on his head. "Ra! please stop tormenting me! I just need to make things right with Ryou! THEN I can sit in eternal tortures for my acts..."  
  
Finally Bakura became fed up and sat down. "Time?" he said to nothing. Of course he got the response he was expecting...nothing. He growled and kicked a wall. "OW DAMNIT!" he yelped grabbing his foot and doing the same hoppy-dance he had done a few hours earlier. "This is getting HIGHLY annoying! I'm WARNING you! I will do something unthinkable if SOMETHING doesn't tell me what time it is!" Bakura growled as silence once more taunted him.  
  
"Alright...I'll give you the count of three!" he said tapping his sandaled foot. "ONE!" he grumbled..nothing. "TWO!" he yelled. Nothing... "THREE DAMNIT!"  
  
//Bakura will you quit all that racket! Its 10:00 ok? Night time! For Isis' sake please clam down!// Yami groaned.  
  
Bakura growled. "Its your own fault you cocky good for nothing.." the rant continued, switching to Egyptian curses halfway through the statement.  
  
Yami yawned and rolled his eyes. //You done yet?//  
  
Bakura was now breathing hard. //bastard...//  
  
Yami smirked. //Now?//  
  
Bakura sat down breathlessly. //Yes...//  
  
Yami shook his head chuckling. //Feel better now?//  
  
Bakura grumbled and tried to regain his composure. //shut up....bloody know-it-all pharaoh...//  
  
//Oh? What are you going to do? Flog me with curses from here until the end of the world?//  
  
Bakrua growled, still catching his breath.  
  
//Or better yet, Fling insults at me until you're hoarse and in need of a coughdrop?//  
  
Bakura sighed. //I hate you....//  
  
Yami grinned. //I know. So what are you waitin on? Ryou's surely passed out in bed by now.//  
  
Bakrua grumbled. "Dumbass bastard fucking whore...." he mumbled.  
  
//I heard that...//  
  
Bakura smirked. //so what?//  
  
Yami chuckled. //Isn't a whore a referance to a woman?//  
  
Bakura growled. //Fine....man whore.//  
  
After a few moments of catching his breath and gathering some energy Bakura tried to reach out to his hikari. It strangely worked....  
  
Bakura was standing in Ryou's room...well...his spirit was. His physical being was long since gone. Their link, the miniscule one they had left, was all that was keeping him there. He could feel his spirit being tugged back to the ring. It was all he had to remain standing there.  
  
He smiled a little and walked over to Ryou and put a hand on his head. "Ryou....I'm sorry...." He said quietly.  
  
Ryou blinked, he had been dreaming of his father's trip with him to france, when Yami had just appeared. "Ryou...I'm sorry.." he said looking at him. "...What?" Ryou said watching the rest of his dream fade. "I'm sorry...that I was such a jackass...You aren't a weakling...and...I want your forgiveness...please..."  
  
Ryou stared at his yami. "...What? What kind of dream is this...?" He said looking around. "Ryou...I dont have much time...please...forgive me...if I must spend the rest of eternity in the ring...I wont be able to rest peacefully if you hold hate in your heart for all the things I've done to you..."  
  
Ryou could hardly believe this. His yami was standing in front of him in egyptian clothes...maybe he missed him more than he thought. Bakura winced and let out a slight yelp. Something was wrong. "Ryou please! Forgive me!" he said dropping to his knees.  
  
Bakura winced. The ring was ripping his soul in two. It was demanding that he return to his prison. "R-ryou...please..." He said wincing once more and fighting with all he had to remain by his hikari just a few more moments.  
  
"Are you ok Yami?" Ryou said rushing over and kneeling next to his yami. "I'll be fine...just please forgive me..." Ryou stared at him. "For what?" Bakura looked at him pain obvious in his eyes. "My complete abuse of you...I was dumb...I was...weak." He said looking down and begining to shake.  
  
Bakura gasped in pain. "N-no....n-not until he forgives me!" he said as he shook. It felt as though firey spears were being thrown through his entire being. The tug of his ring burning every fiber of his being. "Please Ryou......I..." He groaned and began to hug his chest, hoping to stop some of the pain.  
  
"Please Ryou.." He muttered as Ryou stared. "Yami...I'm not mad...I never was..." He said as he was jolted awake at the sound of a pained gasp. He stared at his transparent yami. "Yami!" He said as Bakura winced and began to shake more violently. "Y-yami!! Are you ok?" Bakura looked up at Ryou. "I...just wanted to apologize...I'll remain in the ring...our link is all but gone...thank you...for forgiving me..." He said, a smile crossing his face. Not a wicked plotting smile...or a malicious smirk...a true heartfelt grin.  
  
"I love you Ryou..." He said fading into the darkness. Ryou jumped from his bed and lunged at the space his yami had occupied. "Yami!! wait!" He sobbed. "I..I dont want you to go!" he yelled to the darkness. Ryou cried himself to sleep that night...curled up in the space of floor that still smelled lightly of iris... 


	10. Together again, and this time forever

A little more time...a little less wait...  
  
A little more heart a little less break...  
  
Simply true, what they say A little bit goes a long way...  
  
A little less talk...a little more do, a little more me a little less you  
  
Baby at the end of the day, a little bit goes a long way...  
  
AN: THIS chapter is for all those poor people who thought 9 was the end! BWA HA HA!! THAT, was the MOTHER of all cliffs...I really had you goin though...didn't I? ^_~ heh heh it was evil...and I profusely apologize.  
  
Yami smiled. It'd been a month since he last heard from Bakura. He knew the talk had been successful. Ryou had been talking to his hikari about how much he missed his yami. It was time for some divine pharaoh intervention.  
  
He walked in the fresh snow, the sun had peeked over the clouds and was a welcome warmth. Yami fingered his deck in his pocket. He knew the only way Seto would release the millenium ring was in a duel. A duel that Yami intended to win.  
  
He strolled into the building. "I'm here to see Seto Kaiba." He said to the clerk. "Oh, Are you Yugi?" Yami nodded. "Take the elevator to the 14th floor please." He smiled and walked to the elevator.  
  
Yami tapped his foot. "Corny elevator music..." He mumbled rolling his eyes. If there could have been one thing he could bring back from Egypt...it would have been the music. Elevator music was pointless. It was like the song the never ended, that Yugi had introduced him to on a paticularly long walk through the city.  
  
"Thiiiiis is the song that neeeeever ends! Yes it goes on and on my frieeeeend. Some people started singing it not knowing what it waaaaas, and they'll continue singing it forever just because...this is the sooooong that never eeends!"  
  
Yami flinched. "Ra...whoever invented that song should be caned.." He muttered as he cursed himself, now instead of pointless elevator music, he heard his hikari singing that song....over...and over...and over...and over...  
  
Seto smirked as Yami stepped into his office. "Well hello, come to duel?" Yami nodded. "But I think we should raise the stakes." Seto raised an eyebrow. "Oh? To what?" Yami smirked. "If you win, I'll do anything you want for the next week. If I win, I get the millenium ring that you have stashed away." Seto got a thoughtful look, as though he were considering it. "Hmm...fine, on one condition. You remove the dark magician from your deck before we start." Yami flinched. "...Fine." Yami hated dueling without his faithful magician...but for Ryou's sake...he could manage just this once.  
  
Yugi smiled and tugged Ryou to the shopping center. "C'mon Ryou! It'll be fun!" Ryou sighed. He had grown thinner and looked deprived of sleep...his grades had been suffering and he was in the worst depression a person could be in.  
  
"Really Yugi...I dont think its such a good idea..." he muttered as he was yanked into a clothes store. "Oh psssht, lighten up Ryou. Yami and I have a supprise for you later." Ryou sighed. "Oh..." Yugi looked through the racks of clothes. Ryou looked at the clothes with weary eyes, eyes too old for a kid his age. "Aww...Ryou c'mon...please give this a chance? You haven't been yourself in weeks!"  
  
Ryou sighed as Yugi picked out various shirts and pants. "Here, I want you to try them on." he said shoving the huge stack into Ryou's arms. He blinked a bit. "Me?" He said befuddled. Yugi nodded. "Of course you!" Ryou gave Yugi a confused glance before going into the changing room. It took an hour for them to go through all the outfits, before Yugi was satisfied with the clothes and paid, having Ryou change in the mall bathroom. Ryou looked at the baggy jeans and black turtle-neck he was now wearing. Yugi had even bought him new black hightops. He sighed and came out of the bathroom, having exchanged his old clothes for the new clothes.  
  
"Its almost two, Yami said to meet him at new new soushi place." Yugi said grinning. "I bet it'll be cool! None of us have ever had soushi before....unless you've had it without telling us." Yugi said grinning and streching as they walked to the said restaurant.  
  
Yami had arrived there about ten minutes ago, he saw them comming down the street and smiled. "Yet another victory...I really should retire while I'm still in a good season...Seto almost had me that time..." He said looking at the ring and smiling. Yami chuckled and placed the ring back in the prewrapped box. "I'll have to think Yugi's grandpa for wrapping this...I never seem to do it right...king of games...court jester of wrappign presents." he mumbled fluffing the ribbons on the gift and writing Ryou's name on the box.  
  
"Hi Yami!" Yugi said comming in and grinning broadly. "How does Ryou look?" Yami laughed. "He looks fine Yugi." He said smirking. "Did you take him on one of your little clothing safaris?" Yugi nodded. Ryou sighed a little and forced a smile. "Thank you..." he mumbled. Yami frowned. "Well..lets sit at our table...and I'll give you your gift..." He said holding out the box. Ryou smiled a little. "You both are very nice...you shouldn't have.." Yugi patted Ryou on the back. "Of course we should have!"  
  
They sat down and Yami handed Ryou the box. "Dont open it until we finish lunch." Ryou nodded and looked at the box. "Thank you..." He said setting it next to him.  
  
Ryou stared at the soushi for a moment. "You're sure...they said we could eat it?" Yami laughed. "Dont yuck it until you've tried it." Yugi nodded. "It cant be bad if its SO popular." Ryou stared at them. "In Britan they didn't serve raw fish...and call it a meal." Yami laughed. "They didn't in Egypt either." Yugi turned slightly pink. "Dont look at me! I didn't start it..." he said knowing full well he was born and raised in Japan." Ryou chuckled for possibly the first time in a month.  
  
They all picked up their respected pieces of soushi from their trays and, all at once shoved it into their mouth and chewed. Ryou wrinkled his nose, but swallowed. "I'm not...really used to eating cold fish.." Yami nodded. "Its new...but its not terrible..." Yugi nodded. "Not that bad.." Ryou nodded. "Not bad....but if I get ill because of this..I'll blame you two ok?" He said shaking his head slightly amused. Yami nodded. "Fine with me. But they say its rare to get sick from this stuff."  
  
They finished their lunches and lead Ryou out of the building.  
  
/Where is he going to open it Yami?/ Yugi looked at his yami.  
  
//Wherever he wants...// he replied smirking at his hikari. Ryou carried his present and looked at them. "So...where are we going now?" he said blinking. "Where do you want to go?" Yugi grinned. "I know!! how about the museum!" Ryou blinked. "Uh...that sounds ok...I haven't been there in a while.." He said looking at the box. "I'll open this when we get there..." He mumbled knowing he wasn't multi-task coordinated, and was liable to fall if he tried to open a box while walking.  
  
Ryou paid for his ticket and watched his friends pay for theirs. "Lets find a bench..." he said smiling. Yugi grinned. "So you can open your present?!" Ryou laughed a little. "Yes yes...I'll open it there." He said spotting one and walking over to it. "Ok.." He said sitting on it and lifting the lid. "...The....the millenium ring!" He said looking from Yugi to Yami. "H-how?!" he said bumbling to put it on. Yami grinned. "I'm not the king of games just because I'm the pharaoh." He said hugging Ryou. Yugi repeated the motion. Ryou was more than a little misty. "Thank you....I...I really mean it..you're the two best friends a person could have..." He said latching onto the closest one, which happened to be Yugi, and begining to cry on his shoulder. Not sad tears...tears of joy.  
  
Yugi stood there for a long time.  
  
/should I be worried?/  
  
Yami chuckled silently. //No no...you're fine Yugi, he wont bite...he's too busy crying...//  
  
Ryou stopped crying after a few seconds and wiped at his eyes, finally releasing Yugi. "I...I'm terribly sorry Yugi..." He said sniffling. "I..I couldn't help it really.." Yugi smiled. "I haven't drowned...no harm done." He said grinning from ear to ear.  
  
Bakura jolted awake from his spelled slumber. "...has it been a millenia already?" He said confused. He focused his energy to appear in the museum, much too far away from Ryou. "...I-its Ryou!" He said staring. "Is it really...?" he said totally unaware of how awkward he looked standing there in the middle of winter, in a museum in his Egyptian clothes...in the DINOSAUR section.  
  
"Hey mommy...look its an Egyptian man!" A small child piped up, before tugging on Bakura's tunic. "Hi mister, didn'tcha know you dont exist in this part of the mooseem?" Bakura smiled a little. "Shh...dont tell anyone.." He said putting a finger to his lips. The kid giggled and nodded, repeating the motion.  
  
Yami smirked. //There he is....// He said motioning with his eyes to Yugi to look across the room at one of the entrance pillars. Sure enough there Bakura was...standing there sheepishly peeking around the pillar at them.  
  
/This is great! Ryou will be so happy! Shouldn't we tell him?/ Yami shook his head slightly.  
  
//Lets let them meet in their own way.//  
  
Yugi grinned. /Is this a set-up Yami?/ Yugi said smirking at his yami. Yami nodded slightly. "Hey Ryou, Yugi and I are going to go check out the new stuff in the technology exhibit." Yami said smiling. Ryou nodded. "OK...I'll just wander around a bit...anywhere you want to meet up after a while?" Yugi shrugged. "How about the art section?" he said smiling. "Seeya Ryou!" they said walking away.  
  
Ryou stared. "They didn't say what time they wanted to meet there..." He said running his fingers over the millenium ring. He smiled and wiped a tear from his eye. "Maybe I can go to the Egypt section..." he said getting up and leaving.  
  
Bakura shuffled after Ryou, staying out of sight. Ryou smiled and stopped in front of a stage. There were actors reinacting events of the ancient civilization. Ryou stood in the back of the crowd and smiled. "I wonder what it was like to live back then..." He said smiling. "Very Hot, and exceedingly lonely.." Bakura whispered in his ear and hugged him from behind. "Did you miss me Ryou?" Ryou smiled and turned around to face his yami. "Of course I did! Where have you been?!" He said hugging his yami so tightly that Bakura wheezed a bit.  
  
"Woah...careful..." he said poking Ryou's nose. "I may still be around...but I'm not immortal..." He said grinning when Ryou sheepishly let go. "So...uh..." Bakura nodded. "I missed you..." he said kissing his hikari on the forehead. "How about...this time we start off on the proper foot?" he said in mock british accent. Ryou nodded smiling brightly. "Anything for you..."  
  
Yugi and Yami peeked around the corner at them. "Looks like we did it Yami." Yami chuckled. "I didn't think something like that would have happened...but since it has...Bakura really has a new sense of respect for Ryou...maybe they'll be the friends they were always meant to be." Yami said smirking. Yugi chuckled and elbowed his yami. "Maybe more than that..." he said winking.  
  
  
  
AN: wooo hoo...I think this seemed a lil jerky...but...heck it is better than leaving it at that who sad thing! I dont need people killing themselves in a bout of depression after readin my fics! Good grief...I have hardly any reviews anyway...Well, in CASE you dont know I update Daily. Usually with a new story or chapter. And YES I DO update stories daily. ^_^ well thank you dedicated readers! This is for all of you!  
  
Ahem now for the boring bit. Yu-gi-oh is NOT mine...*sob* the plot for this fic is mine though...! dont steal it! uh..the lines from those songs...nope not mine either...its pretty obvious...but I dont need sued..*opens her wallet and a few moths fly out* ...I dont have anything left to pay my debts as it is!  
  
Well thank you once more...Be on the look out for my newest edition Yu-gi- oh fics! Just in time for Valentines day! 


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